Mike was sure that he had just fallen in love with her all over again.
Her wings literally emanated raw and blindingly powerful fury and beauty all rolled into one, her wings dripping with Molten fire and yet it simply did not burn the surface in which it touched, she herself was like fire but not single ember would ever touch him. Not a single one.
"El…" he whispered as his eyes shined with adoration.
She looked down to him, wings spread, the feather were ignited as they burned orange slowly, her Icy blue eyes were a significant contrast to the deep glow of fearsome orange that she was surrounded in. El slowly looked over her shoulder at the appendages in question and there was a faint trace of shock as she flexed her back, the wings themselves also flexed too.
Lucifer looked at her, tears glistening in his eyes as he never thought he would see a fledgling, whether she was half human or not, gain it's wings. The Wings that signified that she was the daughter of Selaphiel, The Archangel of Ice and Fire. One of the seven Princes of Heaven, she had taken his place and she was as twice as powerful, even more powerful than Michael, Archangel of Light and God's second in command.
She could feel power absolute flowing through her veins, it was intoxicating but not as powerful as the love she was feeling for the one who she had risked everything for, the once who she loved to the very depths of her soul, depths that rivalled the deepest oceans. She frowned as she noticed that Mike was slightly injured, blood was slowly oozing from the back of his head from the impact that he had made with the wall after her wings had decided to make the grandest of entrances.
"Mike… you're hurt" she said quietly, already blaming herself for that even though it was not her fault.
Mike frowned in confusion, lifting his hand to carefully feel the back of his head feeling the warm essence of blood, staining his fingers. She was close to him by now, her grace was aching to do it's job whilst Eleven was keeping it reeled in, she gave him a small bashful smile before leaning in and placing her lips delicately upon his, their lips slowly moved in tandem together in a very silent war of passion. The back of Mike's head glowed dimly as she finally allowed her grace to extend to him, it flowed silently and invisible to the wound and slowly fused tissue together as it worked it's magic upon Mike, like a trail of kisses it left a tingling sensation as it re-fused his skin together flawlessly. Healing him and protecting him.
They pulled apart, her wings glowed that much brighter as she blushed, she winced slightly as she allowed the wings to finally retract into her back, simply becoming El again, although he could still feel them, it was not an uncomfortable feeling but she knew the wings were there just waiting to be called into service once more.
Lucifer walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, his own grace felt her grace and felt kinship with her and accepted her into the fold of the Holy Host.
El remembered the words from her vision/dream that her father said to her "You'll never be alone, we never left" the words echoed inside her and she felt it, her grace was their grace, blood of her blood. She felt a resolve take over her like she had never felt before.
Mike was amazed that the small gash on the back of his head was now gone like it was never there although the crusty stain of blood said otherwise. There was a deep rumble outside, the objects upon the shelf rattled ominously as Lucifer looked around him in slight boredom.
"It's almost time" Lucifer stated solemnly, he made to peak out the window and smiled slightly.
"Jane there are some people I think that want to meet you" Lucifer said with a smirk, El looked to the door carefully before making her there and throwing the door open and what she saw was surprising as well as unexpected.
There bowed to the floor were Ten Angels, each of their wings were adorned with beautiful pure white feathers with streaks of orange. She gasped upon seeing them knelt to her, blades held high in an Angelic salute that she had come to recognise over the past week as numerous Celestials reported to Lucifer on a daily basis as he was the only Archangel left in existence.
Lucifer came to stand beside her.
"These were the Angels that belonged to the battalion of Selaphiel" Lucifer said his gaze turning to look upon each Angel individually. El noticed the streaks of orange was meant to represent fire, the colour of the feather on a Celestial showed what Archangel battalion they belonged to.
Gold feathers for Michael.
Black feathers for Lucifer.
Orange feathers for Selaphiel.
Red feathers for Raphael.
Purple feathers for Gabriel.
Green feathers for Usiel.
Blue feathers for Amitiel.
"And now they are loyal to you" Lucifer said his eyes turning to El who looked at him with a mixture of shock and apprehension. There was a another shockwave and another upon another. Lucifer nearly lost his balance simply because of the ferocity of the shockwave. The other fifty or so Angels came trudging through the undergrowth. A black feathered Angel came marching up to Lucifer.
"Lucifer…" the angel began, he looked hesitant and worried. Lucifer picked up on it straight away and moved a little closer.
"The lab… the lab… two black monoliths are rising from the ground… the Demon has assembled it's strength" The Angel said. Lucifer placed a a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"It's okay, Zophiel… assemble the Holy Host, we will meet you there. For the glory and grace of God" Lucifer Finished.
Zophiel bowed slightly before unfurling his wings and taking off, the other Angels followed in his wake and Lucifer watched them go sadly knowing that this might the end of the Celestials for good this time and the world would be at the mercy of the Demon and all the other disgusting things that skulk through the dark.
"It's time" Lucifer said looking toward El who nodded, she turned to Mike.
"Mike…" she started but Mike wouldn't let her begin let alone finish as he already knew what she was going to say.
"What? No… NO! I'm not watching as you leave again for a third time… not after everything we have been through, I can't El, I can't…" Mike felt tears falling without permission from his face. "I can't watch you disappear again" he said quietly.
She tilted his head up which had been bowed towards the ground and carefully placed her lips over his, it was fierce and emotional and by God was it powerful. There hands clasped together so tightly like they would be torn from the other if held each other any less tightly.
"I can't lose you Mike, I need you safe" she said eyes glistening, Lucifer watched on and honestly he was moved by the display of emotion between the two before remembering they were soul-bound through time and space, where it would bleed through to alternate universes as well, the only constant in each one was El and Mike. Eleven Hopper and Mike Wheeler. Jane Ives and Michael Wheeler.
"I want to be with you, El, no matter what, no matter where, I want to be by your side" Mike said, he was not backing down from this. El finally relented realizing she was not going to win this one.
"Ok" she said with a small nod, wishing that she could put him into in a small pocket dimension if she even had that power to keep him safe. He gave her a watery smile.
"Together?" he asked softly.
"Together" she affirmed with a small smile.
XxXxXxX
Hopper stood at the entrance to the lab with the other Angels, holding an AR-15 loaded with bullets made from melted down Angel blades that no longer had owners, Lucifer at first considered it sacrilege but ultimately relented.
He watched as the two gargantuan pillars arose from what seemed like the very depths of Hell itself, black and charred like coal, he and the other Angels simply watched and waited.
El and Mike, along with Lucifer, Zadkiel and the ten Angels that were with them walked out into the clearing, Hopper immediately noticed there was something different about her that he just could not place but nevertheless he greeted his adoptive daughter with a small smile before giving her a one armed hug,
They broke contact and she turned to Mike who looked at the gate nervously but with a severe look of determination adorned upon his face. She took his hand in hers. Thier eyes conveyed more emotion than all the words in all the worlds languages could.
"I Love you" she mouthed silently.
"I Love you" he silently mouthed back.
Clouds swirled above them as they sparked and lit up with lightning within. Flashes of light danced around them as Lightning roared down from the sky like the rage of Zeus and struck the pillars repeatedly.
There was a tense silence as smoke rose from the top of the pillars.
Sparks of energy leapt from one pillar to the other, a veil like substance wove itself into the space between the pillars where Heaven/The Upside-down could be seen on the other side before the pillars were finally engulfed by the veil opening another portal to corrupted world of paradise.
And there in the storm of Red Lightning it stood. Titanic and Demonic, The Mind Flayer stood, it's head swivelled to look directly at them, it vanished within it's storm only appearing again in a flash of Red lightning as it grew ever closer.
A thick voice pierced the air it was demonic and deep, it sounded something like if a Volcano could speak.
"I shall not be denied!" it roared at the assembled group before it, below it and further along toward the gate appeared the unmistakable silhouette of a Demogorgan, then another came and another, striding through the toxic atmosphere of the Upside-Down, Demo-dogs followed in its wake.
"They are coming, we must do what we must do, may God forgive us all" Zadkiel uttered allowing his wings to expand, two blades falling from his sleeve into his waiting hands.
The other Angels allowed their own weapons to appear in the same manner, united in their cause.
Mike and El, hands still clasped readied themselves, Mike unsheathed his blade giving it a twirl and El's eyes lit up a fierce and undaunted blue. Purple sparks of Lightning sparking between her fingers.
And Lucifer?
Lucifer faced the oncoming death with a smile.
(A/N) LOL I'm such a dick for leaving you guys on yet another cliffy but then if I didn't it wouldn't that much fun lol probably two chapters left at the most. I look forward to writing them as I have the last two major plot points ironed out
As always guys review! And until next time, peace!